1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the therapeutic needs of multiply handicapped children and adults and is intended to be used in treatment programs directed by physicians, who are experts in this specialized field, with therapists, nurses, teachers, or parents, providing the treatment.
2. Description of the Prior Art
This invention is an improvement over U.S. Des. No. 268,232, March 15, 1983, by this inventor, Scales. Scales's previous design is for general public use by the "normal" baby weighing up to forty pounds and does not meet the needs of larger disabled children or adults.
Scales's above mentioned invention has a shock cord spring and chain assembly found to be too difficult for a therapist, teacher or parent to position a user over forty pounds weight at the correct distance from the floor. This invention uses a pair of self-locking fiddle block pulleys strung with shock cord to provide easy lifting, resilience and height adjustability.
In Scales, the upper body support's under-arm sections have extra snaps on the right side and size adjustment seams on the left side, to be opened, as the baby grows. But, Scales has no quick way to make the upper body support smaller around the waist again, on the left side. The upper body support of this invention is equipped with zippers and VELCRO hook and loop tape closures, to provide three bi-lateral waist size adjustments, on each of the six basic size models, which can be quickly changed to larger, smaller, larger, as per the needs of each disabled child or adult in a peer group.
Scales has a fixed balance point where the four suspension lines, of fixed length, converge above the circular hoop. This invention has a horizontal trapezoid frame, with a movable balance point connection and a choice of two placements to attach the rear suspension straps to the horizontal trapezoid frame. In this invention, the length of each of the four suspension straps can be adjusted, as needed. Moving the balance point connection to the front of the horizontal trapezoid frame, lengthening the rear suspension strap a few inches, and moving the rear suspension straps to the alternative back suspension strap placements on the horizontal trapezoid frame, tilts the user into a semi-reclined position with full head and spine support.
The lower body, or crotch section, in Scales, is of fixed length and designed to cradle the "normal" baby's buttocks and support his/her weight, with the hips slightly flexed and the knees slightly bent, for bouncing, swinging and turning. This invention has a similar crotch section but the outline is shaped, by curves and darts, to conform to body contours, as well as, providing for length adjustment, by way of two center front straps, with side release buckles, such as FASTEX, and one horizontal zipper sewn on to the fabric, on the outside rear surface, of the improved crotch section. When the horizontal zipper is closed a horizontal internal pleat in the fabric is formed. Opening the zipper releases the horizontal internal pleat extending the length at the back of the improved crotch section. The male FASTEX side-release buckle connections on the two center front straps, provide front length adjustment, as required. These new features allow treatment providers to lengthen or shorten the improved crotch section until the upper body support comes up the user's torso, high enough for safety, and low enough for underarm comfort. The fabric area between the user's legs has a removable foam rubber pad for comfort.
This invention has two additional alternative, interchangeable, lower body supports, not provided by Scales. The first, a bucket seat lower body support, was found to be required for persons who are not able to weight-bear and must have their hips supported in a flexed position. The bucket seat, in this invention, has a wrap-around fabric section at the back extending nearly to the front, and a seat portion, with a concealed, removable, padded board, providing a limited range of position, at the user's hips. Adjusting the four straps on the outer rear surface of the wrap-around fabric section, and adjusting the length at each end of the front strap that connects the bucket seat to the front of the upper body support, allows the care giver to change the overall depth of the bucket seat, the tilt from side-to-side and the angle of flexion at the users hip joints. An adjustable seat belt is positioned to maintain the user's buttocks towards the rear of the seat portion. The second, a pelvic support, was needed when the user gained balance, co-ordination, and muscle strength, and was ready to kneel or stand up straight and begin gait-training. The pelvic support, of this invention, has an internal wrap-around section, with an adjustable strap, which, when closed between the navel and pubic areas, provides lift from under the abdominal bulge. The pelvic support's outer, front and back, fabric panels have six external straps; two leg straps, at the tops of the legs sewn to the back fabric panel, with male FASTEX side-release buckle connections that mate up with female FASTEX side-release buckle components attached to the front fabric panel at an angle designed to maintain the back fabric panel under the user's buttocks; two lumbar abdominal straps, sewn into the waist-band seam of the back fabric panel, with the same type of buckle connections to the sides of the front fabric panel, connecting to the front fabric panel, below the waist line, at an angle, to help support and lift the abdomen; and two adjustable front straps, for connecting the pelvic support to the upper body support. The gusset area between the user's legs also has a removable foam rubber pad for comfort. The construction of this pelvic support allows for full range of motion at the user's hips and is intended for partial to full weight bearing exercises, as determined by the amount of lift desired, obtained, and maintained, by the shock cord and pulley block assembly mentioned above.
In this invention, the three different lower body supports, connect at the rear, to the upper body support by a horizontal opening zipper and a horizontal VELCRO hook tape strip, of equal length to the zipper, as well as, the front strap/straps, with male FASTEX side-release buckle connections mated to female FASTEX side-release buckle components attached to the front of the upper body support. The snaps used by Scales, to connect the upper body and crotch section, for infants up to forty pounds, do not provide longitudinal adjustability, are not safe when working with adults, and are very difficult and too time-consuming, to open and shut, when used in the numbers which are required for children over forty pounds.
Other examples of Prior Art, of which the applicant is aware includes the following:
3,778,052 Andow et al, December 11, 1973; 2,792,052, H. A. I. Johannesen, May 14, 1957, 2,657,688 I. Tucker, November 3, 1953; 4,497,069 Braunhut, February 15, 198; 3,641,997 Posey, Jr. February 15, 1972; 1,369,139, L. B. Sperry, February 22, 1921; 3,721,736 Barthel, Jr. March 20, 1973; 3,252,704, C. L. Wilson, May 22, 1963; 4,655,447 Dubrinsky, et al, April 7, 1987; 3,721,437 Skaricic, March 20, 1973; 4,488,691 Lorch, December 18, 1984; 2,775,288, A. Anastasia, December 25, 1956; 2,987,279 J. H. Gray, June 18, 1956.